Broward County Court Records

Broward County court records encompass official documents and other materials generated and maintained by the 17th Judicial Circuit of Florida. They provide a permanent account of proceedings at the county level.

The Florida Public Records Act, reinforced by the Florida Rules of Judicial Administration (Rule 2.420), considers court records public property in most instances. Hence, these records serve as a public resource, ensuring transparency and citizen participation in the judicial process. They consist of pleadings, court orders, hearings, transcripts, and evidentiary materials from civil, criminal, family law, probate, and other case types.

Court records in Broward County, Florida, may contain other public records. For example, a person's vital record may be found in a probate case file, and their arrest report may be added to a criminal case file.

Are Broward County Court Records Public?

Yes. The public in Broward County has free access to most court records under Florida's open government system (Florida Statute Chapter 119 and Rules of Judicial Administration). Besides a few exceptions based on confidentiality and privacy, interested parties may obtain available court documents through a request to the Broward County Clerk of Courts.

Accessible records include those linked to criminal trials, civil claims, family disputes, traffic violations, and probate cases. However, under Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420(d)(1)(B), certain information within records must be redacted before release:

• Financial information, including social security numbers, bank accounts, and credit card details
• Personal information, including home addresses and phone contact details
• Sensitive medical information, including HIV/AIDS test results and STD test results
• Criminal information, including investigative reports

In addition, Florida Statutes place restrictions on certain case types, making it illegal to release related records. These include

• Juvenile records, such as dependency cases (§ 39.0132(3)-(4))
• Adoption (§ 63.162(2))
• Surrogacy (§ 742.16(9))
• Mental health proceedings under the Baker Act.
• Sexual violence (§ 394.4615)
• Delinquency (§ 985.04(1))

What Information is Available in Broward County Court Records?

Inquirers at the Broward County Clerk of Courts office can access court case files featuring information related to various stages of the judicial process, from initial filings to final judgments. Case-initiating documents include complaints and petitions in a civil or family law case, as well as formal indictments in a criminal case. These identify the parties involved in a dispute, as well as bear the defendant's response to a petition.

Additionally, case documents are also accessible at the circuit or county level, comprising motions, restraining orders, documentary evidence, expert reports, exhibits, interrogatories, subpoenas, witness statements, affidavits, testimonies, transcripts, and docket entries.

Publicly available case records also include the final judgment, which either terminates a case or forms the basis of a challenge at the Florida 4th District Court of Appeal.

Broward County Court Records Search

The Broward County court system provides access to court records through the listed mediums:

Online Access

The Case Search portal on the official Clerk of Courts website is the preeminent source for inquirers to access unrestricted court documents. An individual can search by personal or company name, case number, and citation number. Searchers can also filter by case type and date range to narrow results. Users can run these case searches free of charge, without creating a user account. Once the user finds the desired case, they can purchase an electronic certified copy on the website. However, if the record comprises over a hundred pages, it cannot be bought online.

In-Person Access

For offline records or to obtain certified copies, individuals can visit the public terminals at each Broward County courthouse. The clerk's office at 201 Southeast 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301, is also available for in-person requests during business hours. No prior appointment is needed.

Searchers can also visit the Archives Division to purchase copies of case records or contact the Clerk of Courts by phone at (954) 831-6565 for inquiries.

Mail-in, Email, and Fax Requests

Case searchers may email a completed Court Records Request Form plus fee to Redactarchives@browardclerk.org or fax it to (954) 831-5550. Requests through these avenues may take up to two weeks to process.

Fees for Court Records in Broward County

Regardless of the request method, statutory fees apply to obtain court records from the Broward County Clerk of Courts, as mandated by Florida law.

• Electronic certified documents are available for purchase online for $8 per document. Payments can be made via American Express, MasterCard, or Visa.
• Walk-in requests incur the following fees, payable via the methods listed above, as well as by cash, money order, and cashier's/attorney's check:
• Copies: $1 per page
• Certification: $2 for each document
• Searches: $2 per case, per year searched
• For requests submitted through email or fax, users can pay via credit card, cashier's check, personal check, or money order for the previous amounts.

The Clerk of Courts' office also offers programmers, businesses, and individuals bulk access to case data through its subscription-based Commercial Data Access (API) service.

Broward County Courthouse Locations

The Broward County court system encompasses the 17th Judicial Circuit of Florida. It handles civil and criminal matters at the circuit and county levels. The circuit court has general jurisdiction, while the county courts operate with limited powers set by statute. Below are the courts' physical addresses.

The central courthouse's north wing houses the circuit criminal court, which handles felony matters in the region. The circuit civil court presides over civil claims above $50,000 in value and operates from the west wing. County civil and county criminal courts are located at the central courthouse and the three regional offices. They handle misdemeanor and traffic violations, as well as civil claims up to $50,000 ($8,000 at small claims court).

Criminal Records Access in Broward County

Local case records for Broward County are available through the Broward County Clerk of Courts. For local felony and criminal misdemeanor records, individuals may access the Case Search tool and opt to view records or order an electronic certified copy. Walk-in, email, and fax options are also available.

For statewide criminal records checks, the official custodian is the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) as mandated by Section 943.053, Florida Statutes. This is the most comprehensive route for extensive background criminal history checks for employment, licensing, or related purposes.

The FDLE's Criminal Justice Information Service (CJIS) handles the statewide criminal history record check process. A search on the agency's database typically costs $24.

Broward County Probate Records

Broward County probate records detail how a deceased person's assets and liabilities are administered. These matters are heard in the probate division of the Florida 17th Judicial Circuit, which also handles cases involving wills, trusts, and guardianships in Broward County.

To search probate records, researchers can utilize the Case Search tool available on the Broward County Clerk of Courts website. The "Probate" option under "Court type" filters the search results. Non-restricted probate documents can be accessed with a registered user account. Individuals can also visit the archives division at 201 Southeast 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale, to request probate records.

Due to privacy concerns, state law restricts electronic access to certain probate information, including accounting information and the cause of death.

Broward County Family Court Records

Court records about family cases, such as divorce, custody, adoption, and support, are considered public records in Broward County, but state law mandates some exceptions.

According to the Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420, the listed information must be redacted from accessed family law records:

• Social security number
• Bank account and credit/debit card numbers
• Addresses of people in protected professions and those of protected classes of victims
• Victim-identifying information in sexual abuse and similar cases

Adoption records are also considered confidential. Unsealing them is conditional on a court order.

To access open Broward County family court records, individuals can visit the local Clerk of Courts Case Search portal. Searches can be conducted by name, case number, or citation number, and refined by choosing the "Family" option in the "Court Type" menu.

Moreover, walk-in requests can be made at the Archives or family law divisions in the central courthouse. As explained earlier, one can also email or fax the Court Records Request Form to obtain copies of records. After paying the statutory fees, copies of divorce and other family law judgments can be obtained through any medium.

Federal Court Records in Broward County

For federal matters, such as federal civil cases, criminal violations, and bankruptcy, Broward County falls under the powers of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida (S.D. Fla.). The District Court's Fort Lauderdale covers cases from the county:

Federal court records emanating from Broward County are managed by the federal justice system rather than the county clerk. Online access is granted through the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER)service. Searches on PACER require a user account, party name or case number, and a fee of 10 cents per page, but users are billed quarterly.

Walk-in checks can be made at the divisional district clerk's office in the same building. However, entrance requires a valid photo ID, and phones are not allowed within the courthouse building. Record fees are similar to those charged for PACER access.